Massive Fire Rips Through Dominican Republic Resort, Killing One
Milena Malaver and Devoun Cetoute
Miami Herald
(TNS)
A massive fire ripped through a popular luxury resort in the Dominican Republic— killing at least one tourist and forcing over 1,600 people to evacuate, authorities say.
An Italian woman died on Friday due to the fire at Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach Hotel in Bayahíbe, a resort town close to La Romana and Casa de Campo, according to Dominican newspaper Listin Diario.
“The Emergency Operations Center (COE) in conjunction with various regional fire departments contained the fire,” a spokesperson for the Dominican Republic Department of Tourism told the Miami Herald in a statement.
The hotel was operating at close to 84% occupancy at the time of the fire, authorities said. Around 1,690 people were evacuated, which included guests, staff and contractors.
Authorities confirmed the fire was an isolated incident at a single hotel, and other properties and tourism hubs nearby were not affected.
“We are saddened that a guest perished, and we send our thoughts to the family, while we await autopsy results to determine the cause,” the Department of Tourism said in a statement.
The cause of the fire is under investigation and the hotel will remain closed until further notice.
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